Reviews by oberon:

Poured into my Monchshof Schwarzbier glass a deep dark chocolate brown with a billowing deep beige head that spits and spews as it settles into a frothy mass,just a great pour.Dark roast and chocolate dominate the nose with light smoke unerneath,very appetizing.Wow chocolate flavors abound with big roast to keep the sweetness in check,the smoke is in the finish and lingers,I get a little brown sugar but it stays dry enough to make it very appetizing.The creamy feel is great for a lager,damn this is a top notch black lager,kudos Thirsty Dog on this one.

More User Reviews:

Appearance is black as in the name with a medium tan head that behaves like a standard schwarzbier or porter.

Taste is essentially a top notch milk stout, sweet dark chocolate with a slightly smoked finish. If I had to guess what the style was I would have gone with a milk stout, not a schwarzbier. There are notes of apple wood smoked chicken with a tangy BBQ sauce inthe finish. The mild smoke aftertaste lingers for a long time. A very tasty dark lager that gets my highest respect.

This black lager can be characterized as a balanced cross between a rauchbier andf a SchwarzbierPours a very dark brown, looking black and opaque int the glass. Red-brown highlights at the edges under light. The tan head has fair retention. Limited spotty lacing is left behind.

Aroma & Flavor: The smoke is light in the nose but significantly more pronounced in tasting, lingering on in the aftertaste with some expresso. Char is light and this avoids overly burnt flavors. A touch of sourness. Dark roasted grains are, of course, dominant.

This black lager is very much what I anticipate in a good Schwarzbier, a very dark brown with red-brown highlights. On top rests a tan head nearly a finger high, a little sparse but fairly solid considering. Retention is pretty good, as is the mostly spotty lacing this beer leaves behind it.This is a well-balanced, fully structured beer with all the elements one would hope for, working together as they should, and with the strength they ought to show. The smoke is a primary characteristic in the malts, which provide a firm basis for this beer, while a light note of earth and flora from hops is enough to add balance and depth. Char is light and avoids astringency.Excellent workmanship is further displayed in the flavor, in similar fashion to the aroma. Smoke is primary, the malts make a strong foundation, and I'm not surprised to find that "apple smoked grain" is added to the grains roasted in the oven, as there's a soft, even, sweet apple flesh note all the way through, and in good proportion. Roast, of course, is extremely evident, and it gives light supporting notes of dark cocoa, nuts, and coffee.It's a medium-bodied dark beer, as it should be. It's got a nice mingling on the palate of both crispness and smoothness. Smoke lingers gently into an evenly semi-dry finish that's clean and, like aroma and flavor, avoids astringency.

Rail Dog Smoked Black Lager Brewed by Thirsty Dog Brewing Company. This brew has an ABV of 6.70% The brew pours out a dark brown color with a nice light brown head. Rail Dog has the look of root beer. The smell is smoky with grain and malts. There is a mild sweetness at the end of the smell. The taste is bold and smokey. You pick up on grains and a hit of hops at the end. There is a lot going on in this brew. Rail Dog Smoked Black Lager has a nice balance to it, there is nothing overpowering in this brew. The mouthfeel is rich and fulling. You pickup on the smokiness in this brew, but it has a clean smooth finish. Overall I'm giving Rail Dog Smoked Black Lager a solid 4 out 5. I would buy this brew again.

A - It is a dark beer with ruby highlights. It is a little darker than a bock. It had very little beige head that was gone in a second.

S - I definitely get some smoke. I also smell some dark chocolate. I wasn't expecting that out of this beer. The smoke smell is like a campfire with maybe some pork and s'mores cooking on it. It is more smoke than food smelling.

T - The taste starts out with a smokey taste. Then I get that dark chocolate taste. I thought I was imagining it in the smell. The two flavors seem to share equal time on my palate.

M - Moderate with medium to low carbonation.

O - I tried one of there the other day, but didn't remember it being so good. I love the interplay of the smoke and dark chocolate. Thirsty Dog is stepping up their game. I am glad to see it. I enjoy their beer.

A: The beer is close to being jet black in color—when held up to a bright light traces of dark brown are perceptible near the edges of the glass. It poured with a thin tan head that quickly died down, leaving lacing on the surface and a thin collar around the edge of the glass.S: Light aromas of dark malts are present in the nose along with some hints of roasted malts and smoked malts.T: The taste is very similar to the smell, except that there are also some hints of chocolate malts. Slight bits of bitterness are also perceptible. The taste becomes a little more complex as the beer warms up.M: It feels just about medium-bodied and a little thin on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.O: This beer is very easy to drink and the subtleness of the roasted and smoked malts would probably make this a good introductory beer for someone new to the style.

Appearance: Black to cola brown at the edges with some ruby red highlights. Very small thin tan ring at the edge. No foam or lacing.

Smell: Smoky, ashy, hint of cocoa powder.

Taste: Chocolate with a smoky coffee accent to it. Has a bitter finish that is again smoky and like very dark roast espresso.

Mouthfeel: Thick. Approaching creamy. Light carbonation.

Overall / drinkability: This beer goes very well with beef, which was a beef and noodle casserole for dinner. Even by itself this beer is quite good and can be a bit of a dessert as well. As for drinkability though, I find one is enough per evening. I am not sure I could have another as I'm sated after this one beer.

Summer release? Damn no wonder I couldn't find it anywhere. I picked up a bottle of this for 1.99 from Vintage Estate.

A - Ok as expected for almost a year old I get little head just a ring that settles to nothing, No sediment which is nice and the beer itself Is a thick dark brown. Syrup like.S - Mild notes of liquid smoke. Touch of char roast and some chocolate malts. Some sweeter malts but they are faint.T - I do taste the peat and smoked malts both are faint with a touch of coffee and chocolate malts. M - Still drinks rather well medium to heavy in body. Slick.

Overall it held up quite well for 9+ months but I would love to try it fresh. Fresh it may have more smoke and carbonation.